Culture and History in the East Coast

The towns along Sri Lanka’s east coast are largely a melting pot of religions, nationalities and traditions and have a culture that embraces Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism in equal measure. Trincomalee in the north-east was influenced by its proximity to northern Sri Lanka and South India, where Hinduism is prevalent – it is home to one of Sri Lanka’s most famous Hindu temples, Koneswaram Kovil, yet is just a short distance from the Girihadu Saya, believed to be the first Buddhist dagoba to be constructed in Sri Lanka.

Colonial powers also played a large part in the history of Trincomalee and Batticaloa: the Portuguese destroyed many ancient temples, the Dutch transformed both coastal towns into fortified ports and the British used Trincomalee as a naval base as recently as World War II. Batticaloa is off the typical tourist trail and offers visitors a sense of the ‘authentic’ Sri Lanka, an area of sleepy lagoons and waterways where fishing is the predominant industry.

Arugam Bay in the south-east of Sri Lanka also embraces multiple religions, but the signs of colonial rule are not as evident here. Explore the history of Arugam Bay through visits to the ancient Buddhist temples in the area: climb to Kudumbigala Monastery, an abandoned monastery built in 2nd century BC surrounded by thick jungle which lay undiscovered for centuries, and visit the coastal ruins of Muhudu Maha Viharaya, a collection of ancient stupas and statues dating back 2,000 years.

Another way to explore the culture and history of Sri Lanka’s east is to journey inland to Gal Oya and spend a day with the Veddas, Sri Lanka’s indigenous people. Gal Oya is home to one of the last surviving Vedda communities, who live a completely separate existence to the rest of the Sri Lankan population, living within the forest and hunting using techniques passed down for generations. See their traditional hunting weapons; watch how they gather honey, and listen to them singing in their own language.